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Reducing dietary salt is one of the most effective interventions to lessen the burden of premature death and disability. In high‐income countries and those in nutrition transition, processed foods are a significant if not the main source of dietary salt. Reformulating these products to reduce their salt content is recommended as a best buy to prevent chronic diseases across populations. In the Americas, there are targets and timelines for reduced salt content of processed foods in 8 countries—Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, and the National Salt Reduction Initiative in the United States and Paraguay. While there are common elements across the countries, there are notable differences in their approaches: 4 countries have exclusively voluntary targets, 2 countries have combined voluntary and regulated components, and 1 country has only regulations. The countries have set different types of targets and in some cases combined them: averages, sales‐weighted averages, upper limits, and percentage reductions. The foods to which the targets apply vary from single categories to comprehensive categories accounting for all processed products. The most accessible and transparent targets are upper limits per food category. Most likely to have a substantive and sustained impact on salt intake across whole populations is the combination of sales‐weighted averages and upper limits. To assist all countries with policies to improve the overall nutritional value of processed foods, the authors call for food companies to supply food composition data and product sales volume data to transparent and open‐access platforms and for global companies to supply the products that meet the strictest targets to all markets. Countries participating in common markets at the subregional level can consider harmonizing targets, nutrition labels, and warning labels.

Reducing dietary salt/sodium is one of the most cost‐effective interventions to improve population health. There are five initiatives in the Americas that independently developed targets for reformulating foods to reduce salt/sodium content. Applying selection criteria, recommended by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Advisory Group on Dietary Salt/Sodium Reduction, a consortium of governments, civil society, and food companies (the Salt Smart Consortium) agreed to an inaugural set of regional maximum targets (upper limits) for salt/sodium levels for 11 food categories, to be achieved by December 2016. Ultimately, to substantively reduce dietary salt across whole populations, targets will be needed for the majority of processed and pre‐prepared foods. Cardiovascular and hypertension organizations are encouraged to utilize the regional targets in advocacy and in monitoring and evaluation of progress by the food industry.

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Chronic Diseases (CDs) are the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. CD experts have long promoted the use of integrated and intersectoral approaches to strengthen CD prevention efforts. This qualitative case study examined the perceived benefits and challenges associated with implementing an intersectoral network dedicated to CD prevention. Through interviewing key members of the Alberta Healthy Living Network (AHLN, or the Network), two overarching themes emerged from the data. The first relates to contrasting views on the role of the AHLN in relation to its actions and outcomes, especially concerning policy advocacy. The second focuses on the benefits and contributions of the AHLN and the challenge of demonstrating non-quantifiable outcomes. While the respondents agreed that the AHLN has contributed to intersectoral work in CD prevention in Alberta and to collaboration among Network members, several did not view this achievement as an end in itself and appealed to the Network to engage more in change-oriented activities. Managing contrasting expectations has had a significant impact on the functioning of the Network.

Objectives To map existing country policies addressing population dietary sodium reduction in the Americas; to identify policy gaps in the region following what is outlined in the World Health Organization (WHO) “Best Buys” most cost-effective recommendations for the prevention and control of diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs); and to discuss priorities for future work in the Region. Methods This study used mixed methods to analyze data from 34 countries. Data were collected through a structured review, of mostly national official sources, to identify current policies in place to reduce population sodium intake. Also, responses from the last Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) online Survey on National Initiatives for Sodium Reduction in the Americas were included. Finally, country profiles were prepared and sent to each country's Public Health Agency for validation and comments. Results Almost all countries (n = 23/34) had a recommendation to reduce salt intake included in policies related to NCDs. Only six countries had specific and comprehensive policies to reduce sodium intake, and only one of them was a National Law. Adoption of the WHO “Best Buys” in national policies included: reformulation of food products with voluntary (n = 9/34) and mandatory targets (n = 2/34); establishment of a supportive environment in public institutions (n = 14/34); and implementation of front-of-pack labelling (n = 5/34). Some countries have implemented regulations restricting marketing of foods high in sodium to children (n = 5/34); nutritional labelling that includes sodium content, either voluntary (n = 9/34) or mandatory (n = 10/34); and no country has yet implemented taxes on high sodium foods. Conclusions In recent years, there has been a significant advance in policies to reduce sodium intake in the Region of the Americas. However, this review identified that the level of implementation in practice is complex to assess and quite heterogeneous. Reducing sodium consumption is a cost-effective intervention that can save many lives, by preventing and reducing the burden of diet related NCD's. Therefore, a further call to action is needed for governments to accelerate efforts in order to meet the 2025 global target of a 30% relative reduction in mean population intake of sodium. Funding Sources Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).